Chris Columbus Says ‘Gremlins’ Reboot Is Happening

Gremlinsprovided a memorable introduction to the world of horror for many of us, making it a beloved film even three decades later. The film was dark and included some surprisingly violent scenes, but had enough feels to make it a must watch every Christmas season. The sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, came out six years after the first film and took a more over the top, slapstick approach than its predecessor. If there were to ever be a Gremlins 3, it was a bit up in the air on how the film would be approached.

However, last year, Chris Columbus talked to Slash about writing Gremlins 3, saying, “It is as twisted and dark as anything,” and that he “wanted to go back to the really twisted sensibility of the first movie.” He went on to say that the CGI would be “minimal” and that perhaps it would be worth losing our sweet Gizmo, which would basically stomp on our hearts forever, saying, “too many people are dying.”

It seems, though, that plans have been changed. While talking with Metro, Columbus was first asked if there was an update on Goonies 2. For those of you who are wondering, he confirms that “there has been talk of it,” but says it’s “a little more difficult’ due to the age and careers of the actors now. Pretty understandable. But, he goes on to mention Gremlins, saying,

“‘Gremlins’ we are actively talking about that. So that’s what I am working on with my production company 1492 Pictures.”

When asked if it will indeed be a reboot, Columbus responded,

“It will almost definitely be a reboot.”

Since it seems that another film is indeed coming, perhaps this is the right approach to take rather than a third film almost 30 years after the sequel. Columbus obviously had a darker theme in mind for Gremlins 3, so it’ll be interesting to see how much of that goes into the reboot. And, of course, we’ll see if this gets stuck in development hell or comes through sooner than later.

I'm the owner and editor-in-chief of Horror Geek Life! I'm a sucker for cheesy horror, a Fallout addict, and collect way too many comics. I'm also honored to be a film judge at the 2018 Women in Horror Film Festival.